A New Horizon Book 2: The Dying Forest {COMPLETE}

Chapter 16

"Pebblestep, did you pick some of the marigold?" Honeypaw questioned her mentor who stood a few foxlengths away. She sniffed the marigold, it looked as if a small amount had been picked from the already sparse flower.

Pebblestep padded over and took a look at it herself. "I don't think I did." She gave it a sniff. "It could've been a rabbit or something. They're losing their food sources too. Pick the rest of it now."

Honeypaw nodded and bit off the rest of the tiny flower from the dying bush. She set it down next to the small pile of juniper berries that she had picked, rolling them up together in a large leaf. "Is that is from over here?"

Pebblestep nodded. "We have to go back to camp, Redclaw told me that Goldenleaf isn't producing much milk. Thy kits are almost ready to start eating fresh-kill but she'll need that milk for now. We can give her the last of our borage and hope we have more if another queen starts expecting."

Honeypaw nodded, taking note of the tiny amount borage they had left. I hope that helps. She carefully picked up her bundle of herbs while Pebblestep gathered her own. It was only sunhigh but Honeypaw's paws ached from trekking almost the entirety of SunClan's territory. I understand we need herbs, but we can't waste herbs treating our own injuries from non-stop work. She flattened her ears, wishing this whole thing would just end.

We just have to stay strong. Blackpaw's words rang in her ears, she lifted her head and ignored the pain. I'll stay strong, I have to. For my Clan. She found herself thinking a lot about what Blackpaw had told her a few days ago. She held onto those words like it was the last thing she would ever hear.

Honeypaw and Pebblestep reached their den and Honeypaw went to work putting away their herbs and sorting them. Even with how many herbs they gathered, she couldn't help but feel like the herb store was getting smaller with each passing day. She sighed looking at the sad display of herbs.

"Honeypaw," Pebblestep got her attention from across the den. "I'm going to run that borage to Goldenleaf, would you mind checking the herbs near Jagged Rocks? Don't climb them or go near the AshClan border and you'll be fine."

"Sure thing, Pebblestep." Honeypaw gave a quick lick to her aching paws and headed out without argument. Jagged Rocks was normally a good place for herbs, but even now it was looking sparse. She left camp and hustled her way through the forest, not wanting to waste any time and Jagged Rocks was quite the walk.

In good time, she made it to the vast field of SunClan's territory, a place she only came for herbs. Hunting here was bad and it was deadly in greenleaf, Honeypaw knew this was where Falconpaw had encountered the adder when he was just a kit. I'm glad he didn't get bit.

Honeypaw could see the sharp stones of Jagged Rocks jutting out of the ground like claws. She take a quick sniff of the area, nothing smelled out of place. So she continued on her way, she could make out green against the gray surface of the rocks. Her heart lifted as she realized it was chickweed. She eagerly trotted over to the rocks, there wasn't as much as there should be, but it was better than everything else they were getting. Chickweed could be used for treating greencough, it wasn't as good as catmint but it would be something. She started picking the herb and left it in a neat pile while she walked around the rest of Jagged Rocks, looking for more herbs.

She found a few tiny clumpings of yarrow, Honeypaw grabbed what she could and made her way back around to the pile of chickweed. She made a neat pile and began searching for a leaf to wrap these in. She spotted a fallen leaf that was still green and bendable, she picked it up and carried it back to her herbs.

"Isn't it my lucky day?"

Honeypaw froze in the middle of wrapping her herbs as an unfamiliar voice spoke behind her. She slowly turned to see a skinny, matted she-cat standing a few taillengths away. Her gray tabby fur was dull and dirty, her murky green eyes were malicious and made Honeypaw tremble. The she-cats claws were out and glinting in the sunlight. "Who are you?" Honeypaw questioned, her voice shaking.